The little town of Somerset West, prettily situated at the foot of the Heiderberg range, can be taken in on a round trip from Cape Town through the areas round Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl.
The town, founded in 1822, grew up round a Dutch Reformed church. It was named after Lord Charles Somerset, Governor of the Cape.
Somerset West is a town of trim villas with many parks and gardens. It preserves a number of old buildings, including the police station, the former parsonage and the church (1820).